You can often see a blue recycling bin next to a trash can in many places around campus and also some that are outside with a designated spot for items to be recycled. The items inside of the recycling bin are recycled if the recycling bin has not been contaminated. If the recycling bin has been contaminated with an item that cannot be recycled, the campus must throw it out because of that one item that contaminates the whole bin.
Departmental head of environmental studies, Dr. Elly Engle, was able to answer some questions about the changes being made to recycling on McDaniel’s campus in the coming years. First of all, one thing we can do now is to educate more students and professors on what can be recycled and where the bins are this could be implemented in the community. Instead of using a plastic water bottle, aim to use a reuseable water bottle or use one of the 3-gallon water bottles which can also be recycled.
One big change that is being made to recycling on campus is signage which will hopefully make more students inclined to recycle. The most important thing we can do now is to act and be mindful about what is being recycled in the recycling bins.
Current students also have a lot of great things to say about recycling in McDaniel’s community. Freshman Savannah expressed that one of the challenges she faces with recycling on campus is, “that I’m not always sure if a recycling bin is for all materials or just certain ones, and sometimes I’ll find one is only for paper but not bottles or anything else so I don’t have anywhere else to put it but there or the trash.”
Sophomore Matt expressed that people need to do more at McDaniel to get other people to recycle and educate the community on what can be recycled.
Sophomore Anika also expressed that she doesn’t know if the items are recycled properly and making sure other people in the community are recycling properly.
Sophomore Kyndall expressed that she isn’t sure that other people know what recycling is. She also emphasized that other students are not sure how recycling items are being mixed with trash where they shouldn’t be mixed. It is with certain items Kyndall has noticed, for example, a plastic water bottle being thrown into the trash when it should be recycled.
To make recycling more accessible for students, Savannah voiced that she thinks that McDaniel could add a few more recycling bins around campus. Specifically, ones for plastic bottles would be helpful. Matt also voiced his opinion on recycling to be more accessible, and McDaniel should add more trash cans around campus and get more posters that say please recycle on it. Finally, Savannah thinks that the stuff that is put in the recycling bins is actually being recycled. As she learned in her environmental science class, it’s not always the case and very few things that are put into the recycling bin are actually recycled. Unfortunately, she is not confident it’s the same here.
In the end, people should get educated on what items should be recycled.